]]>0Extra Points: Titans, Lions, Colts, Giantshttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2017/10/extra-points-titans-mariota-lions-bryant-colts-giants-buccaneers
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2017/10/extra-points-titans-mariota-lions-bryant-colts-giants-buccaneers#commentsSat, 07 Oct 2017 02:23:21 +0000https://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=80747As had been expected, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota will be a gametime decision in Week 5, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Mariota is day-to-day with a strained hamstring, and backup Matt Cassel will start against the Dolphins if Mariota is unable to play. Tennessee signed veteran signal-caller Brandon Weeden earlier this week, passing over other free agent options such as Colin Kaepernick.

Here’s more from around the league:

The Lions haven’t decided whether they’ll activate defensive Armonty Bryant — who is returning from a four-game suspension — before Sunday’s contest against the Panthers, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Detroit has a roster exemption for Bryant, and it must either add him to the 53-man roster or release by Monday. Given how thin they are along the defensive line (Kerry Hyder is out for the year, Khyri Thornton is still banned), Bryant seems likely to claim a roster spot by next week at the latest.

Before signing with the Bears’ practice squad on Friday, defensive end Howard Jones worked out for the Colts, tweets veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer. Jones, 27, had drawn a good deal of interest since being non-tendered by the Buccaneers earlier this year, as he’d also met with the Titans and Jets. Still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November of 2016, Jones wasn’t a major contributor in eight games last season before going down, but he did manage five sacks in a rotational role for Tampa Bay in 2015.

The Buccaneers will be without defensive end for two-to-four weeks Ryan Russell after he suffered a shoulder injury against the Patriots, per Rapoport (Twitter link). Russell, 25, has managed four tackles on 110 defensive snaps as a rotational end this season. If Tampa Bay is looking for depth, the club could potentially promote Channing Ward from its practice squad.

]]>0Bears Make Cuts, Reach 53https://www.profootballrumors.com/2017/09/bears-make-cuts-reach-53
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2017/09/bears-make-cuts-reach-53#commentsSat, 02 Sep 2017 22:59:34 +0000https://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=77237The Bears took time to announce their 53-man roster, but they got it done before the deadline. Here’s how:

The Bills will save $2.35MM against the cap by releasing Lawson and $1.55MM by cuttingFelton. By freeing up that cash, the Bills will have a little more room to work with as they negotiate a new deal with cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Felton was signed as a free agent last offseason to a four-year pact worth $9.2MM, with $4MM guaranteed. Considering how the fullback position has been phased out by many NFL teams, that was a steep price to pay for the former Viking. With Minnesota, Felton acted as the lead blocker for Adrian Peterson‘s 2012 MVP campaign, paving the way for Peterson to nearly break the all-time rushing record. Felton himself went to the Pro Bowl that season, and was named second-team All Pro. The team is saving money by dropping the 30-year-old, but his release is also a sign of their confidence in Glenn Gronkowski.

Over the last three seasons, Lawson has appeared in all but one regular season game for the Bills. In 2015, Lawson appeared in every contest and started 14 games, racking up 45 tackles, 1 sack, and 5 pass deflections. Lawson is facing a one-game ban as a result of a domestic violence incident and that was thought to be a big blow in the season opener considering that the team will also be without top rookies Reggie Ragland and Shaq Lawson plus reserve linebacker IK Enemkpali. For one reason or another, the Bills have decided that they are better off without him.

Moore, 26, came over from Tampa Bay during the offseason, and has also spent time with the Patriots, Cowboys, and Raiders. Johnson, meanwhile, has been with Buffalo for the past two seasons, starting one game during that time.

]]>2NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/4/16https://www.profootballrumors.com/2016/01/nfl-reservefutures-contracts-1416
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2016/01/nfl-reservefutures-contracts-1416#commentsTue, 05 Jan 2016 01:16:06 +0000https://pfr.traderumors.com/?p=23382Now that the 2015 regular season is in the books, teams can begin signing players to reserve/futures contracts, adding those players to their 90-man offseason rosters. Generally, these players finished the season on a team’s practice squad, though some were free agents at season’s end.

]]>2Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC Easthttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/09/sunday-transactions-bills-dolphins-patriots-jets
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/09/sunday-transactions-bills-dolphins-patriots-jets#respondSun, 06 Sep 2015 22:08:08 +0000https://pfr.traderumors.com/?p=20147Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC East teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Bills, Dolphins, Patriots, and Jets are noted below.

Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

]]>0Bills Release 16 Players, Waive Meekshttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/09/bills-release-16-players
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2015/09/bills-release-16-players#respondFri, 04 Sep 2015 22:04:19 +0000https://pfr.traderumors.com/?p=200005:04pm: In addition to their moves earlier today, the Bills have waived safety Jonathan Meeks, ESPN’s Mike Rodak tweets. The Bills attempted to trade Meeks, per Rodak, but were unable to find any takers. Rodak writes that Meeks is a candidate to end up on the Bills’ practice squad if he goes unclaimed on waivers. According to Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez, the Bills tried – and failed – to trade a receiver in order to keep Meeks on their 53-man roster (Twitter link).

1:07pm: The Bills announced that they have cut 16 players, including defensive end IK Enemkpali, as a part of their effort to get down to a 53-man roster. The full list of transactions is below:

Enemkpali is now (and perhaps, forever) best known as the player who punched Jets quarterback Geno Smith, causing him a broken jaw and many weeks on the sidelines. Immediately after the incident, the Jets waived the linebacker/defensive end and old pal Rex Ryan wasted little time in claiming him. Enemkpali only saw the field sparingly in his rookie season, playing 40 defensive snaps and contributing a little on special teams as well.

Groves, 31, appeared in all 16 regular season games for the Titans last season, including three starts. The linebacker, a former second round pick by the Jaguars, has bounced around a bit over the years and despite signing with Buffalo in August, he’ll be looking for a new NFL home once again in 2015.

Fluellen, 30, spent nearly all of his career with the Lions since being drafted by the team in the third round back in 2008. However, he has never played a significant role in Detroit, acting as a part-time contributor over the course of 77 career games (75 with Detroit). In 2014, Fluellen recorded 10 tackles, two sacks, and a fumble recovery in 183 defensive snaps. In June, he hooked on with Buffalo, but his stay in Western New York was brief.

]]>0Draft Signings: Dolphins, Cowboys, Billshttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/05/draft-signings-dolphins-cowboys
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/05/draft-signings-dolphins-cowboys#respondFri, 23 May 2014 17:29:31 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=5638By our count, after TrentMurphy signed his rookie contract this morning, 164 of 256 draftees had at least agreed to terms with their new NFL teams, leaving less than 100 players yet to be signed. Another handful of draft picks have reached agreements since then, so let’s round up the latest….

The Dolphins announced this morning (via Twitter) that they’ve signed sixth-round wideout Matt Hazel, and also confirmed the signing of fifth-round linebacker Jordan Tripp, which was reported yesterday. Hazel’s signing bonus will be worth nearly $106K, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.

In addition to signing Hazel, the Dolphins have also agreed to terms with seventh-round defensive end Terrence Fede, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). With Hazel, Tripp, and Fede locked up, the Dolphins have addressed their last four draft picks, and will now shift their focus to their earlier selections, including first-rounder Ja’Wuan James.

Fifth-round receiver Devin Street has signed his four-year rookie contract with the Cowboys, agent Andy Simms announced today (via Twitter). Like Miami, the Cowboys are working backward through their draftees — Dallas’ last six picks have now agreed to terms, while the club’s top three selections remain unsigned.

The Bills announced today in a press release that they’ve signed fifth-round tackle CyrilRichardson, leaving first-rounder Sammy Watkins and second-rounder Cyrus Kouandjio as the only Buffalo draftees who still need to sign. Richardson will get a $192K signing bonus, according to Fitzgerald.

]]>0Draft Notes: Wright, Robinson, Reillyhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/04/draft-notes-wright-robinson-reilly
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/04/draft-notes-wright-robinson-reilly#respondSun, 20 Apr 2014 23:38:35 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=4621When the Seahawks selected linebacker K.J. Wright with the No. 99 overall pick in 2011, no trumpets sounded or ticker-tape parades held — that’s about where he was slated to go, writes Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. But, since draft day three years ago, Wright has proven himself to be an anchor of an underrated linebacking corps, earning the No. 18 spot of the top 25 best Seahawks draft picks of all time. Wright has the third-most tackles of any defender from the 2011 draft class (164), behind Tampa Bay’s Mason Foster (199) and Houston’s J.J. Watt (192).

More draft notes below…

Auburn offensive lineman Greg Robinson will meet with the Rams, holders of the No. 2 overall pick, writes Joel A. Erickson of AL.com. But, since the Rams have already met with Robinson at the team’s facilities in St. Louis, the meeting will take place at Auburn or at Robinson’s high school in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

Utah end/linebacker Trevor Reilly is one of 11 prospects chronicling his journey to the NFL Draft for USA TODAY Sports. In this piece published today via Tom Pelissero, Reilly speaks of his recent team workouts and updates us on the condition of his knee:

“My workouts with the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars two weeks ago were positive. Both coaches were awesome. The linebacker coaches came out and worked me out, and we got in the film room. My body feels good and my knee feels good, and I think during the workouts, I showed I can move around well even though I’m a pretty tall guy.”

“My knee is 100 percent now. It’s never felt better. If there were a football game tomorrow, I’d be fine. I don’t even think I’ll have a brace going into my first practice of rookie minicamp. The reason why I wore it last year is I came back so early from ACL surgery – I had the surgery in December and I was back in August – my head coach and my trainer made me wear it just as a precaution. But to me it was more of an insurance policy. It wasn’t that I needed it. It was to make sure I didn’t reinjure myself. I think my surgeon did a great job with my ACL and with the cleanup of the meniscus, so it’s nothing out of the ordinary.”

Lindenwood cornerback Pierre Desir may come from a small school, but he plays with great size and experience, writes Arjuna Ramgopal of WEEI.com.

Baylor guard Cyril Richardson could be a depth pick for the Bears offensive line, but holes on defense might preclude the team from taking an offensive lineman that high, per CSNChicago.com.